HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The children of a United States Marine Corps veteran who died late last year received the diploma representing the degree their father was pursuing during a ceremony Friday at Marshall University.

Owen M. Moul, 34, died Nov. 23 at his home in Barboursville.

The marine's children, Sydney, 14, Sierra, 8, Owen Jr., 7, and Zane, 1, attended Friday’s event and accepted their father’s Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) degree.

Moul was in the Marines for 12 years, which included deployment in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He was a Marine recruiter in the Huntington area from 2004 through 2008.

In July 2011, Moul received an associate degree in applied science from Mountwest Community and Technical College. He was planning to attend graduate school with a focus on history or geography after receiving his RBA. He was a 4.0 student at Marshall.

“It was important to Marshall University that his children receive this degree in honor of their father,” said Kelly Sweetman, director of military and veterans affairs at Marshall. “It was our mission to make sure they had his diploma.”

The children also received their father’s special military recognition cord and honors cord.